Pedigree Look: Zenyatta

Note: Starting this week and going to the week before the Breeders' Cup, I will be doing Pedigree Look posts on former winners of Breeders' Cup races. Today I'm starting out with the one and only Zenyatta!

Name: Zenyatta

Year Born: 2004

Color: Bay

Sex: Filly

Sire: Street Cry (IRE)

Broodmare: Vertigineux

Broodmare Sire: Kris S.

Profile: You could say that 2007 was a great 3yo crop. With the likes of Street Sense (Street Cry (IRE)), Curlin (Smart Strike), Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy), Hard Spun (Danzig) and Any Given Saturday (Distorted Humor). However, all of those horses where done or retired by the time another daughter of Street Cry had begun her career. It would take her on a journey where not only she would touch people living in the US, but around the world as well. Of course I'm talking about Zenyatta (Street Cry (IRE)).

Her name is very unique, as she is named after an album by the British band The Police (the full name is Zenyatta Mondatta). After being unraced at 2, she began her career in November of her 3yo season. She was able to fire off three wins including winning the El Encino, the second leg of the La Canada series. She then made her first G1 apperence in the 2008 Apple Blossom where she was facing the previous year's Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Ginger Punch (Awesome Again). She would win by just over 4 lengths. After wins in the Milady, Vanity, Hirsch and Lady's Secret, it was time to face the best of the East in the renamed BC Ladies Classic. Not only was a rematch with Ginger Punch, but Hystericalady who finished right behind her in the Lady's Secret and the winner of the Delaware Oaks that year, Cocoa Beach who was one of the best Older Horses in New York, 3yo Music Note who was going after a championship, and Bear Now who was the Canadian darling. She was able to beat all of them once again and get Older Female Honors, but not Horse of the Year as Dubai World Cup winner Curlin once again held that title.

In 2009, she returned in June with a win in the Milady. She then went onto win the same 3 races she would the year before ending her season in the Breeders' Cup. However this time around it wouldn't be in the Ladies Classic, but in the mile and quarter Classic. While several fillies had run in the race before, no female had ever won the race. Even though the field wasn't full of world beaters, there where still some very tough competition. Derby winner Mine That Bird, Belmont winner Summer Bird, top turf horse Gio Ponti, Europe's Twice Over, the previous year's Travers winner Colonel John and Pacific Classic winner Richard's Kid where all entered. Well it turned out like every other race with her on top. It was then announced that would be her final race, but only days before the Eclipse Awards in 2010, it was decided that she would remain in training for her six year old season. Still the votes where in and Zenyatta had once again lost Horse of the Year honors. This time to Rachel Alexandra who defeated males 3 times and becoming the first 3yo filly in the three branch system.

2010 would be her final year of racing. After winning the Apple Blossom a second time as well as the same races she did in 2008 and 2009, she would take one more shot against the boys in the Classic, this time at Churchill Downs. Held under the lights for the first time, it looked like she was going to once again pull it off with her closing kick. Sadly, the Arch colt Blame who had won the Stephen Foster over Churchill surface would hold her off, denying her the 20^th win in her career. She ended with 19 wins in 20 starts with 1 second and earnings of $7,304,580. However, she had done enough and was named Horse of the Year to go on with her Older Female honors.

Zenyatta had her first foal this year, a colt by Bernardini. She is back in foal to Tapit.

Sire

Zenyatta is by Street Cry (IRE) (Machiavellian). He won the Dubai World Cup and Stephen Foster during his career. Along with siring Zenyatta, he is the sire of Derby winner Street Sense, Melbourne Cup winner Shocking (AUS) and multiple G1 winner Seventh Street.

Machiavellian (Mr. Prospector), his sire won the Prix Morny Agence Francaise and Prix de la Salamandre, both Group 1 races in France. As a sire he would sire several nice horses including G2 winner Shakis (IRE).

His dam Helen Street (GB) (Troy (GB)) won the Irish Oaks and was placed in the Yorkshire Oaks. Street Cry is her best foal, but she is also the dam to stakes Helsinki (GB) (Machiavellian) dam to French and English G1 winner Shamardal (Giant's Causeway). While all three foundation stallions appear in Helen's pedigree, the Byerley Turk is the one that appears the farthest away.

Dam

Zenyatta's dam is Vertigineux (Kris S.). She only won twice in her seven race career, but did finish fourth in the Robert Dick Memorial in 1999. As a dam, her record would be much better. Not only did she throw Zenyatta, but she also has multiple G1 winner Balance (Thunder Gulch) and stakes winner Where's Bailey (Aljabr). She is back in foal to Street Cry for a full sibling to Z.

Her sire Kris S. (Roberto) won the Bradbury Stakes in 1980 at Santa Anita. As a sire, his most famous foal is BC Distaff winner Hollywood Wildcat. He's also the sire to Arch (who I talked about earlier), Arlington Million winner Kickin Kris, BC Juvenile winners Brocco and Action This Day, as well as multiple G1 winner Rock Hard Ten.

Verti's dam For the Flag (Forli (ARG)) only won once in her career running both in England and the US. Her best foal is G3 in France, Restrained (Robellino). For the Flag is a ½ sister to G3 winner Helenska (Nijinsky). This is the also the same female family as Kentucky Oaks winner Sweet Alliance (Sir Ivor) (dam of Irish Derby winner Shareef Dancer (Northern Dancer) and G2 winner War Deputy (Deputy Minister) who I talked about before the Olympics when I profiled his son War Buckaroo (Expotential)).